Organizer Information:

Recess. A Brooklyn-based arts organization. Critical Writing at Recess initiates meaningful exchange between artists and writers, supporting the mutual production of new work and fostering new forms of critical engagement with contemporary art.

Title & Description:

Applications are open for the Critical Writing Open Call 2026.

Through a practice-led approach, this program brings together a cohort of writers to engage with artists in the Recess community. Throughout the 11-month program, the cohort will meet monthly, participate in editorial workshops, and collectively produce a digital reader that places the Recess archive in conversation with texts from across the field.

Category:

Writing & Criticism (Includes essays, criticism, poetry, fiction, experimental writing, and hybrid/interdisciplinary practices).

Eligibility:

  • Who: Open to writers at any stage of their practice (emerging, mid-career, or extensive publication histories). 3 writers will be selected for this cohort (with a 4th spot reserved for an alum of the Assembly program).
  • Location & Attendance: While some meetings are virtual, this program requires mandatory in-person attendance in Brooklyn, NY. Participants MUST attend the half-day orientation on Saturday, August 1, 2026, at Recess, as well as alternating in-person monthly sessions on Wednesday evenings (6:00 PM – 8:00 PM EST).
  • Deliverables: Each writer commits to publishing two original texts and collaborating to develop and edit a digital reader.

Program Benefits & Awards:

  • Stipend: A generous $4,000 USD stipend (distributed in three equal payments across the program year) to compensate for writing, collaborative work, and participation in cohort sessions.
  • Mentorship & Network: Facilitated monthly sessions with invited artists, editors, and cultural workers, plus peer exchange and editorial workshops.
  • Publication: Publication of two original texts and inclusion in the collaboratively produced digital reader.

Application Fee & Program Costs:

  • Application Fee: Free to apply.

Application Requirements:

  • Submission Portal: Applications must be submitted via Submittable.
  • Required Documents:
    1. Resume/CV (PDF upload, Max 3 pages).
    2. Bio written in the third person (Max 200 words).
    3. Writing Journey: A narrative about your relationship to writing (Max 200 words).
    4. A Text You Return To: Discuss a text exploring an artist/artwork/exhibition that you revisit (Max 200 words).
    5. Micro-Review: A descriptive micro-review of a mundane object in your daily life (Max 300 words).
    6. Writing and the Cultural Field: A response on the role writing plays in today's arts ecosystem.
  • Writing Samples: Two writing samples are required (max 2 pages or 1,000 words per sample). One sample MUST be an essay engaging an artwork, artist, or cultural event. (Note: If submitting an excerpt from a longer piece, you must include reading instructions).

Key Dates:

  • Virtual Info Session: Monday, April 13, 2026, at 6:00 PM EST.
  • Application Deadline: Thursday, April 30, 2026, at 11:59 PM EST.
  • Applicant Interviews: Early June 2026.
  • Decisions Announced: July 2026.
  • Mandatory Orientation: August 1, 2026 (11:00 AM – 4:00 PM in-person).
  • Program Term: August 2026 – June 2027.

Location:

Recess (46 Washington Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11205) & Virtual/Zoom.

Contact Information:

Inquiries Email: info@recessart.org

Website & Application Link: https://recess.linkedbyair.net/critical-writing-open-call-2026